10 Innovative Subway Advertisements

Subway systems are a perfect location for advertisements for two reasons: one, commuters spend a lot of time within them; and two, potential customers are held captive, either waiting on the platform or squished on the train just looking for an excuse not to make eye contact with the person next to them.

We’ve found some advertisers who’ve thought of some pretty creative uses of this underground space. View all ten examples after the jump.

This ad is so clever because it’s hardly an ad in the traditional sense. Above, Ikea has become a part of the subway car itself. We know we’d rather sit on a colorful, plush couch than a rigid, plastic bench that becomes less forgiving to our bottoms the further we travel.

To pass the time while waiting for your boyfriend or an acquaintance who just flew into the city and is most likely lost, why not pretend you’re on holiday at some opulent ski resort? This ad can galvanize your imagination.

Don’t you appreciate ads that are aware of their setting? Instead of simply pasting a bunch of identical advertisements all over the city, this company put in a bit more effort. The joke is morbid, yet appreciated.

This one targets those who feel emotional comfort from physically holding a beer. If that’s you, it might mean you just had a hard day at the office; it might also mean you’re developing a life-long problem.

Any ad that makes people look is doing something right. But does dangling potatoes from the ceiling of a subway tunnel make people want to buy mass quantities of Lay’s potato chips?

Simplicity is important, and this ad pulls it off. The only negative side to converting a portion of railing into a dumbbell is that countless drunk jocks will use it as a chin-up bar. While doing a few reps they’ll make exaggerated grunts and moans to impress their equally obnoxious and garrulous friends.

This ribald ad by Durex works the participation angle. It’s borderline offensive and if you need to catch the train, impossible to avoid interacting with. Ethics aside, it is definitely bold.

Can you actually listen to music if you plug in a set of headphones? More importantly, what kind of music does it play? This ad works because it’s got us wondering.

Another way to pass the time: trying on fake watches.

Just like the couches inside the subway, Ikea also put some on the platform. It’s like waiting for the train in your living room. The only downside here is that we’d imagine the couches get pretty gross pretty quick. Accidents happen, and not every city dweller makes hygiene a top priority.